The Origins of the American System of Government

Summary: The effect of the Reformation, the Age of Absolutism, and the Enlightenment on the framing of the U.S. Constitution.

The democratic from of government that was founded in America in 1783 was the direct result of a series of revolutions in thought that were set in motion by the Renaissance. The Renaissance was the revival of classical art, architecture, and literature that originated in Italy and eventually spread throughout Europe during the fourteenth century. Major events occurred during the Renaissance such as the weakening of the Church and the increasing interest in secular matters such as science and exploration. Philosophers such as John Locke introduced many ideas concerning an ideal government such as natural rights. The sequence of revolutions sparked by the Renaissance that had an impact on the framers of the American Constitution were the Reformation, the Age of Absolutism, and the Enlightenment.

The Reformation was a revolution that had a direct impact on the authors of the American Constitution. During the early 1500's, activists such as...